Goodnight
by Basil's Angel of Music
Summary: Basil and Iona's four-year-old daughter, Violet is woken by a thunderstorm which frightens her almost to death, and it's up to her mother Iona to calm her down and help her get back to sleep. I do NOT own TGMD, its characters or the song "Goodnight" by Evanescence which is featured in this fic. The only characters I own are Iona and Violet.


What was it she was hearing? What were these terrifying, rumbling noises coming from just outside her bedroom window? Little Violet Rathbone had been sleeping peacefully in her bed until awoken by these mysterious low and yet really loud growling noises coming from outside. She had never heard such noises before in the short time that she had been in this world, so she had no way of knowing what they were. They could've been anything at all. That's why they still frightened her. And as if the sounds weren't frightening enough, there was also the occasional bright flash of light that blinded her for only a second, which would sometimes come before the awful noises.

For what seemed like a very long time to her, she just laid in her bed, listening to the dreadful sounds which frightened her so. She tried so desperately to ignore them and go back to sleep, but they were just so loud and so terrible. Rolling over to her side, she held her hands to her ears as hard as she could and clenched her eyes tightly shut. She wished so hard that she had her mummy and daddy with her to comfort her and protect her from whatever it was that was making that petrifying racket outside.

"I want my mummy and daddy..." she kept whispering to herself, through her silent sobs. "I want my mummy and daddy..."

Eventually, there came a flash that was so bright, all she could see for a split second was pure whiteness. Though just as soon as her room was plunged back into darkness, the flash was followed by a particularly loud clap which sounded to her like someone was banging a giant hammer against the roof of her home with all their might. This frightened her so much, that she immediately screamed before dashing out of bed and running towards the door. Leaving her room, she ran as fast as she could across the hall towards the door to her parents' room. Upon reaching said door, she immediately noticed that it was closed. Her young, naïve mind so filled with fear at that moment, she didn't think to reach up and turn the knob to open it. Instead, she began to bang her fist on the wood as hard she could, screaming for her parents at the top of her lungs, wishing that they would answer her and open the door to let her in. She didn't have long to wait before her wish was granted, for it seemed in a matter of seconds, the door opened and she looked up to see the tired but now concerned face of her mother staring down at her.

"Violet?" asked her mother as she knelt down to the child's level. Violet immediately burst into tears as she threw herself at her mother, gripping her tiny hands onto the fabric of her white night dress as she buried her face into her shoulder. Iona wrapped her arms around her daughter and held her close to her, stroking her little head in an attempt to calm her.

"Violet, dear," said Iona softly to her daughter. "What's wrong?"

"Those noises are frightening me, Mummy!" cried the little girl.

"What noises?" asked her mother. As if to answer her question, there was another bright flash followed by another dreadfully loud clap, causing the small child to whimper as she nuzzled her face even deeper into her mother's shoulder. Iona only smiled.

"Oh, Violet," Iona chuckled, shaking her head as she stood up. She was still holding her child in her protective embrace as she carried her back across the hall and into her room. "That's only thunder, my love," she added, taking a seat on her daughter's bed.

At that, the child ceased her crying and looked up at her mother with a confused expression. "Wh-what's thunder, Mummy...?" she asked, through her snuffles.

"Just a loud bang that can be heard in the sky when it's raining very badly, or is about to anyway," Iona answered, starting to lay her daughter down into her bed. Another loud crack of thunder was heard, causing the little mouse to shoot back up and begin clinging to her mother's waist once more. Iona just laughed softly to herself as she gently pried her daughter's tiny arms off from around her. "It's really nothing to worry about, my dear," she told her tucking her back under her covers.

"But it's scary, Mummy," Violet whimpered.

"I know it is," replied Iona, stroking her child's thick, curly brown hair. "But I promise, it can't hurt you. As long as you're in here with me and Daddy, you'll be perfectly safe."

"You promise?" asked Violet hopefully.

"I promise," smiled Iona, holding her fisted hand out in front of her daughter, only to leave her pinky sticking out. Violet smiled, recognising the gesture and returned it. The two of them curled their pinkies together and Iona's promise was sealed.

For just a few moments, Violet felt happy and content again, before there was another low, grumbling of thunder from outside her bedroom window, causing the child to tense up from fear once more. Iona just laughed quietly to herself as she shook her head, before she softly began to sing to her daughter.

_Goodnight_

_Sleep tight_

_No more tears_

_In the morning_

_I'll be here_

As she listened, Violet closed her eyes and felt herself beginning to relax under her bedcovers again. The never ending rumbling of thunder didn't seem so frightening to her now that her mother was here to comfort her. The gentle touch of her mother's hand to her head and the lovely sound of her singing seemed to diminish all her fear, replacing it with happiness. In fact, to her, her mother's singing seemed to drown out the horrible noises going on outside her window. It reminded her so much of an angel using all her powers to ward off sinister demons and sending them back into the darkness from where they had come. Well, Iona _was_ Violet's mother after all. And what an excellent mother she was too, so caring and protecting to her daughter and always looking our for her well being. She was as good as the little girl's guardian angel.

_And when we say goodnight_

_Dry your eyes_

_Because we said goodnight_

_And not goodbye_

The sound of her mother's singing was just so beautiful to little Violet. She was now starting to grow sleepy at that moment, but she willed herself to stay awake so that she could continue to listen to the angelic voice above her. However, her tiredness quickly got the better of her as she drifted away into the more pleasant darkness, that of sleep.

_We said goodnight_

_And not goodbye_

Once she had finished singing, Iona remained where she was and took a few moments more to watch over her child. Violet no longer stirred, save for the slow rising and falling of her little chest in time with her gentle breathing. Iona was certain then that her daughter was asleep. For a while, all she could do was sit there and smile as she stared down at the sleeping child in front of her. She couldn't find it in her heart to be angry with her for waking her and her husband, and therefore Violet's father, with all that screaming and crying earlier on. She was still just a very small child after all, just barely starting to learn about the world and getting used to it, and she needed reassurance from her parents now and then that despite how scary the sounds or the sights, she was as safe as she could be, so long as she was under their protection.

It was then that Iona began to yearn to be that young and innocent once more, ignorant to the dangers of the real world, the world which could only be understood by adults. The world that filled with all the dangers that children should be protected from. Back then, a mere thunderstorm seemed to be one of the biggest dangers in life. If only the world really _was_ that safe, she thought to herself.

Speaking of thunderstorms, Iona took a few more minutes to listen. The thunder seemed to have stopped now, and the dark night sky no longer flashed up from the lightning that came with it. All that was left now was the loud pitter-patter of heavy rain. Iona smiled at this. She could finally leave her daughter to sleep in peace, and whatever pleasant dreams she was certain she was having would not be disturbed again for the rest of the night.

Leaning over, she placed a gentle kiss to her daughter's forehead, careful not to wake her up. "Sleep tight, my precious angel," she whispered lovingly.

Raising herself back up, something caught her eye and she was met with the sight of her husband, Basil standing at the doorway, a soft smile on his face also.

"How is she?" he asked quietly, as he walked up towards the bed.

"She's fine now," answered Iona. "She's asleep."

Basil chuckled. "That's good," he said. Turning from his beloved wife, his smile grew wider as his eyes fell upon his sleeping child.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" he heard Iona say to him.

Basil just laughed quietly again. "Well, of course she is," he agreed, kneeling down in front of his wife. Taking her hands into his own, he stared deeply up into her eyes as he added, "She _was _fortunate enough to inherit her mother's looks after all."

Iona immediately blushed and fought to suppress a giggle at her husband's compliment. "Basil, of all the close observations you've made in the past, you seem to have failed to notice that I'm not the _only_ mouse she resembles. Yes, she may have my thick, brown hair, but she also has that lighter muzzle of yours."

Basil chuckled again. "My dear, I have _always_ noticed that. I noticed it the very moment she was born. But it is you she mostly resembles."

Iona just laughed again. "Well, okay, Basil," she said, giving up this affectionate little debate she was having with her husband. "Have it your way."

Smiling, Basil placed a hand to his wife's face. "And it's moments like these that makes me all the more grateful that it is you that I married," he whispered lovingly.

Smiling back, Iona asked, "And why is that Basil?"

"Well, just look at the way you're always there to protect and care for our little Violet, whenever she needs you," he answered. "Truly, you are a wonderful mother, and I am so glad that you are the mother of my child. I honestly do not think any other woman I might have married would do a better job than you."

Iona's smile refused to leave her face as she placed her hand to her husband's. "Likewise, Basil," she whispered. "I'm happy that it's you who is her father."

Basil's smile too remained on his own face, even as he leaned closer to his wife, and the two shared a gentle kiss before Iona said, "We'd better go now and let her sleep."

Basil nodded, "Yes, you're quite right, my dear," he answered, before they both stood. Taking one final glance at their sleeping daughter, they smiled once more before they walked out of the room. They closed the door as slowly and quietly as they could, leaving their precious child to sleep peacefully in her bed.


End file.
